As Israel Turns Fundamentalist

Here's an insight into why the Israelis have no intention whatever of moving toward a two-state solution:

"When we [Israelis] say that this is a political conflict, then we lose the battle," [Major Adrian Agassi] told the Guardian, adding that it should be remembered that the ancient land of Israel is "given to us by the Bible, not by some United Nations". Agassi, one of the most important officials in the military courts wielding authority over large parts of the West Bank, says settling Jews on lands that made up ancient Israel stands above all other biblical commandments and only when it is done can they have "a promised land and a promised life".

"You say that these lands 'passed into Jewish hands'. Others would say that they came back into Jewish hands. Others would say that they are obviously ours, inherently," he said. It was, he claims, a mistake to call it the State of Israel. "If we would have named it the State of Jews, the Arabs would have understood that this land belongs to the Jews."

At some point, what people do is more eloquent than what they say.